Albacete 1 - Athletic Bilbao 0

Albacete: Valbuena; Gaspar, Rubén, Buades, Peña; Alvaro Rubio, Jaime (Viaud 63'); Redondo, Pacheco (Iván Díaz 81'), Momo; Rubén Castro (Francisco 57'). 4-2-3-1.
Athletic: Aranzubia; César, Murillo, Luis Prieto, Casas; Bordas (Iraola 56'), Felipe (Jonan García 46'), Orbaiz, Yeste; Etxeberría, Azkorra (Urzaiz 60'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Albacete: No change / Athletic: César, Casas, Felipe, Bordas, Azkorra for Iraola, Del Horno, Gurpegui, Arriaga, Urzaiz.

Goals:
1-0. 44. Rubén Castro. Angled header down past Aranzubia from Pacheco corner.

A depleted Athletic Bilbao side lost 1-0 at Albacete, and now find themselves only two points above the relegation spots, level with their opponents of the night. Ernesto Valverde rested some of his star players after their UEFA cup victory on Thursday and included five changes from his first choice line up, but they made little headway against a solid defence. Only a header from Azkorra went anywhere near the target, and the hosts could have scored with a header from Rubén González which went just past the post, and a couple of efforts from his namesake Rubén Castro.

And it was the striker who finally got what was to be the only goal on the stroke of half time, his header from Pacheco's corner giving Aranzubia no chance. Valverde brought on Etxeberría and Urzaiz in the second half, and both tested the keeper. But Francisco had a goal disallowed for a marginal offside, and Iván Díaz could have increased the lead late on when he blasted a shot over the bar.